Twilight Zone

 The last 24 hours are top contenders for the weirdest day...ever. And if you know even a little bit about me, you know that's quite the bar to hurdle.

I'ma try to lay it out in an orderly and succinct fashion without getting too long. Try.

I had a guest here who was a repeat guest. She's a lovely young woman with a darling son. She expressed interest in long-term renting, and I told her I don't do actual 'with a lease renting', but one of the demographics I do cater to is folks who need a month or two, like traveling nurses or the guys who transfer between refineries, or electrical linemen. 

There were a few things that were a little 'off' about her, but not in a dangerous or toxic way, and she was always helpful and friendly. The first time she booked, it took Air BnB a few times to get her payment to go through but honestly, that's not unusual. She also had one real stinker of a review, which I asked her about, and when she was here the first time, she left the cottage absolutely spotless.

As an aside- I always ask people about bad reviews, especially if they have several that are glowing, because there are weird and picky and judgmental hosts, just like there are messy and strange guests. So far, I've never been let down by trusting one of these folks.

Anyway. This time, she wanted to extend her weekend to fill up the 2-week gap I had available. She tried to extend it from her end and the system wouldn't let her. So, I sent her an extension offer from my end, and all she should have needed to do was accept it, but it wouldn't let her. I sat next to her and watched it not let her. So, I called the Superhost help line and they told me she had some "flags" on her account, and it wouldn't let her book more than 2 nights in a row. I had never heard of such a thing. 

I asked if there was a work-around, since I wanted her to stay, and they told me to manually block out the dates for her and send a payment request in the amount of the additional nights. Payment request is usually used if a guest takes or breaks something, but I made sure to put in the details exactly what we were doing and why.

It still wouldn't let her pay. 

That was yesterday. I told her we would try again today.

Incidentally, this time, her mom came with them. She told her mom what a great place this is, and mom up and drove here from New York State. Mom is also very nice. They both expressed wanting to rent on a permanent basis. Possibly both guest houses. They weren't pushy. Just appealing. 

Today is the one-year anniversary of my husband's death, so you can imagine that last night was not a good night. I had finally fallen into a fitful sleep about 1a, and at 1:30a I got a text message from my guest. "We heard a lot of noises and the dogs were barking, so we left. Are you ok?"

Ummm...yes. Yes, I'm fine. I said I also heard the dogs, but it was their regular on-patrol barking, and she probably never had heard it before since last night was one of the first cool nights where the A/C could be off and the windows opened. I drifted back to sleep.

Because there was nothing to be scared of. I've never been afraid in the forest in my life. I am a forest-dweller. 

Thirty minutes later, another text. "Can you keep an eye on the cabin and check it in the morning? Most of our stuff is still in there. Don't go over there by yourself! You should have the police go with you. What we heard was really scary- there was definitely someone outside the cabin. Look for footprints or something." 

Whatever. Yes. 

Thirty minutes later, another text. "Are you still OK? It's so dark out there and that noise was very frightening. Just checking on you!"

MY DUDE. FOR THE LOVE OF CHRISTMAS. OMG. WTF.

Back to sleep. 

Five. Freaking. Thirty. "Good morning! I hope it was quiet out there the rest of the night. We will be back about noon. Going to get breakfast with the family."

I did not even respond to that one. 

I had my alarm set for 8a since I did not have to work today.

7:02a "I forgot my wallet."

At 8:15a, I went over to the cabin, unaccompanied by the police, since I knew there would be nothing there.

At 9a, I sent her a text telling her that nothing and no one had been at the cabin and it was probably a racoon or possum the dogs chased under there, and  I have decided that I can't afford to do leased rentals because I make much more money with the short-term rentals and I need to focus on that with the Air BnBs now being my main source of income (which is true), to please check out today yet, since she doesn't feel safe here, and that I would rescind my request for payment and we just won't worry about the three nights she'd overstayed her original booking. Then, I crossed my fingers that she'd do it, and leave the place clean. 

At 10:30, I got a text from my ex-boss...the one who fired me the end of July. He remembered what today was and asked how I am doing. I said mostly non-suicidal, but today is especially horrible.

He asked if I wanted him to buy me lunch and I said, "Yes. Yes, I do."

He said, "Great. Lillie (his wife) will meet us there" and I said, "Oh, god. You're not going to fire me again, are you?" and there was a pause before he texted, "I can do that?"  

He told me to pick the restaurant and I picked a nice expensive one. Then I requested that we sit outside since it was cold in there. It was only 90 today. I made sure Lillie and I were in the shade and he...was not.

They asked about my new job and the Air BnB's and I asked about the clinic. 

We actually had a very nice lunch. 

We actually said we need to do it again. 

Then, I came home, and the guest had packed up and gone, and the cabin was spotless, so I canceled my request for payment and did my normal between guest cleaning.

Now, it's 11p and I'm hella exhausted. 

Wonder what the weirdest day ever can lob at me in the next hour...